Are you ready to be introduced to your new favorite restaurant?
I don’t say this lightly but… Hana Poke Bowl has now entered into my TOP 5 restaurants in Mazatlán because it’s intoxicatingly delicious.
I stumbled upon the newly opened Hana after it’s ultra-cute pink and white exterior grabbed my attention as I was doing a Starbucks run. It’s tucked in just behind Burger King and Starbucks on Av Cameron Sabalo in the popular Golden Zone.
I noticed green potted plants, twinkling rope lighting, and of course the words ‘POKE’ on the sign. My mouth immediately started to water.
If you don’t know what a poke bowl is, let me tell you. Poke is a Hawaiian dish pronounced “POH KAY” and literally translates into ‘cut crosswise into pieces’. Traditionally that cutting refers to freshly chopped pieces of marinated tuna, which is then served on top of rice with vegetables, sauces, and flavor-packed garnish.
A poke bowl is basically deconstructed sushi. Instead of being wrapped up into rolls, it’s spread out into a bowl, and much more customizable.
Now, if you’re not a big tuna fan (which I personally cannot comprehend why anyone wouldn’t LOVE raw tuna) don’t worry. The poke bowls of today offer many other options that both meat-eaters and vegetarians will love. Usually, my husband rolls his eyes when I want sushi or poke because he doesn’t eat any type of seafood, but Hana Poke has both chicken AND ribeye on the menu. That way non-seafood eaters can still make an awesome poke bowl.
Walking into Hana is like walking into a café in Los Angeles. Inside and out Hana is SO freaking cute with its bubble gum pink details and retro diner feel.
It’s super trendy and perfect for any Instagram shots. Inside there are super comfy booths that are nice to sit and just hang out in, while outside they’ve got tables with umbrellas set up.
We were immediately greeted by the owner of Hana Poke – Rodrigo. He spent lots of time explaining the menu to us and both his concept and inspiration for his new restaurant. It was refreshing to see the owner so involved in the day to day operations, as it gives a certain charm to the place.
The Food
Now, – the menu is where the real magic happens.
You can fully customize and build your own poke bowl, from the base, to the proteins right up to the sauces and toppings. It’s the kind of place you could easily eat every day because the possible combinations are endless.
While they have already built bowls to choose from on the menu, I personally like to build my own.
I created and customized a seafood masterpiece with: Brown rice, panko shrimp, raw tuna, avocado, cucumber, carrot, edamame, fried leeks and Szechuan sauce.
My meat-loving hubby built his bowl with: Noodles, rib eye, breaded chicken, cream cheese, avocado, carrot, mango, Szechuan, fried garlic.
Menu and Prices
Here is how you build your own Poke Bowl:
You are given a sheet and pen where you simply mark down exactly what you want. Here are your choices:
You pick your size of bowl.
– Small is 110 pesos
– Medium is 150 pesos
– Large is 190 pesos
Next, Choose Your Base:
– White rice
– Brown Rice
– Rice Noodles
– Quinoa
Then, Pick Your Protein: (only tuna and salmon are uncooked)
– Raw Tuna
– Raw Salmon
– Shrimp
– Panko Shrimp
– Tofu
– Octopus
– Breaded Chicken
– Rib Eye
Next, Choose Some Toppings:
– Cucumber
– Corn
– Avocado
– Jalapeño
– Cilantro
– Onion
– Carrots
– Edamame
– Beets
– Pickles
– Ginger
– Mango
– Coconut
– Orange Fish Eggs
– Cream Cheese
– Imitation Crab
– Pineapple
– Serrano Peppers
– Seaweed
Then, Pick Your Garnish:
– Fried Leeks
– Wontons
– Crispy Seaweed
– Fried Garlic
– Fried Rice Noodle
– Peanuts
Finally, Choose Your Sauce
– Ponzu
– Yakitori
– Szechuan
– Spicy Mayo
– Sweet Chili Mayo
– Cilantro Mayo
Fun right? I’m not sure if I should admit this, but I was giggling like a school girl the first time I built my own bowl. The process of choosing everything and picking from the huge list of options is really half the fun of dining at Hana.
The bowls are heavenly. I can’t believe how fresh and full of flavor each and every bite was. It’s a mix of sweet and savory, warm and cold, soft and crunchy. The dueling textures and elements make for ultra-rich mouthfuls of poke goodness. Even writing this article I am starting to crave a bowl. Thankfully, Hana Poke is just a 3 minute walk from my house.
As if I couldn’t have loved my dinner at Hana anymore, Rodrigo showed me the local artisan ice-cream they have on their dessert menu. Finca De Palmas is a local Mazatlan maker who produces ice-cream made from coconut milk, making it dairy, gluten AND sugar-free!
The flavors they currently have available at Hana are: Coconut, mint chocolate, hazelnut, choco-nut, and vanilla. I went with the coconut. Super light and refreshing!
Isn’t raw seafood dangerous?
Being a raw-fish lover, I know first-hand that certain establishments have more risk than others. For example: eating raw ceviche from a stall on the beach in 35c weather might not be the wisest thing to do.
Eating at a restaurant with strict health codes will definitely lower your risk of eating any raw seafood. I asked the owner Rodrigo what steps he takes to ensure that his customers are safe. First off, he explained just how aware the staff is about handling any of the food they prepare. Next, they have set timelines for exactly how long each type of raw food can sit in the prep area before having to be thrown out. They also conduct taste tests every 2 hours during the day to ensure it is as fresh as it should be.
Hana Poke has been one of my most delightful discoveries so far this year. I highly suggest trying it before the secret gets out!
All About Hana Poke Bowl
Open:
All week long for lunch and dinner – 1:00pm to 10:00pm
Address:
Behind Burger King/Starbucks in the Golden Zone – Lomas de Mazatlán, Cerro del Cubilete 102
Delivery:
Available on UberEats for home delivery.
Social:
@hanapokemx
This restaurant review is part of our NEW weekly column ‘Foodie Fridays‘. Each week we will feature an honest review from a local restaurant here in Mazatlán!
Are you a restaurant owner? Local Foodie with a hot tip? Get in touch with us if you want to be featured in next week’s article!
@kashlee_k
More Foodie Friday Posts:
– Casa Roberto
– Pura Vida
– Esinti Cafe
